New York Knicks forward and three-time NBA All-Star Julius Randle will join NBA Countdown on ABC Monday night for Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics.
ESPN announced the news in a Monday morning release, noting that the former Kentucky Wildcat will serve as an analyst for the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows.
Randle will be the third active player to join the ‘Countdown’ broadcast so far in the Finals, as fellow Knicks guard Josh Hart joined the panel for the series’ first two games, and Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George was on hand for Games 3 and 4.
Malika Andrews, Stephen A. Smith, Bob Myers, Michael Wilbon, and Adrian Wojnarowski will round out the rest of the panel, as usual.
Randle played 46 games for the Knicks this season before a shoulder injury ended his campaign shortly before the All-Star Game, which he was forced to miss.
Originally, it seemed as though Randle could return for the postseason, but that didn’t come to fruition. In his half-season, the big man averaged 24 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, creating a “Big Three” for the Knicks alongside Hart and point guard Jalen Brunson.
Countdown airs from 7:30-8 p.m. ET on ESPN before shifting over to ABC from 8-8:30, when the game is set to tip-off.
